Infusion pump devices and systems are relatively well known in the medical arts, for use in delivering or dispensing an agent, such as insulin or another prescribed medication, to a patient. A typical infusion pump includes a pump drive system which typically includes a small motor and drive train components that convert rotational motor motion to a translational displacement of a plunger (or stopper) in a reservoir that delivers medication from the reservoir to the body of a user via a fluid path created between the reservoir and the body of a user. Use of infusion pump therapy has been increasing, especially for delivering insulin for diabetics.
While control schemes may allow insulin infusion pumps to monitor and regulate a user's blood glucose level in a substantially continuous and autonomous manner, it is common to manually initiate delivery of insulin prior to or contemporaneously with consuming a meal (e.g., a meal bolus or correction bolus) to prevent spikes or swings in the user's blood glucose level that could otherwise result from the impending consumption of carbohydrates and the response time of the control scheme. However, regulating blood glucose level is complicated by variations in the response time for the type of insulin being used along with variations in a user's individual insulin response and daily activities (e.g., exercise, carbohydrate consumption, bolus administration, and the like). Additionally, the patient-specific ratios, factors, or other control parameters used to determine the bolus amount can vary depending on the particular techniques or preferences used by the individual making the determination. Thus, the efficacy of the manual boluses can vary on a user-by-user basis, but also throughout the day for an individual user based on variations in the user's daily activities. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the efficacy of manual boluses and minimize post-prandial glucose excursions.